Catapult questions...

[D-Roc]

I don't know why but I feel like making a giant catapult...

Should it be powered by a:
a) Tension spring
b) Weight

Which would have a more power? For the tension spring I'll use a 80-100 pound heavy duty tension spring. For the weight I'll use a 100-150 pound barbell weight....

[ProfessorAmadeus]

make a big trebuchet. those are awesome and simple to build.

[saladtossser]

weights, for the classical look and feel

[A-98]

hmmm you know you can buy kits online, if anything else you could just get inspiration

[sgort87]

Catapults are specifically spring-loaded. Trebuchets are counterweighted.

[Benny]

i reacon you should go with sspring.

[jrrdw]

Springs will be hard to cock/wind, i think you will have better luck with the weight. Theres a older gentalmen in Europe that made a realy big 1, (Trebucket), throws small cars/painos anything he can get the hook in. Throwed that little Volvo about a 100 yards!

[rna_duelers]

And for weights go to a train yard and see if you can get some old busted train wheels,nice and heavy and easy to get.I made a small trebuchet it was only about 40cm tall and had a 1.2kg weight and its farthest shot was about 21 meters(68.8 feet)if i can remember.And also fi you do choose the weight method made sure you add wheels to counter-act the backwards momentum because one of them rolling ontno you wouldnt be fun and also you can move it around.

[sgort87]

Not quite. Swinging basket type: no wheels. Solid arm type: wheels. There is logic, calculations, and testing behind this. Go research it.

BTW, I have built quite a few of these and have one of them that stands 16' tall in my backyard.

[)DEMON(]

these are easy to make ,but be sure to use a whieght because springs wount be safe.

[sgort87]

What makes you say weights are exactly "safe"?

[saladtossser]

weights go down only, a spring can shoot itself in any direction

[jrrdw]

Boing!! Your rite about the springs can go anyway they want. A lot of times when working on lawnmowers i have to deal with staubern springs and them puppies have a mind of there own! (sometimes).

[Torch]

Well..I built a small pvc trebuchet that will fling eggs 40 ft...I used Trebuchet.com for ideas and they have links to other sites aswell, Hope it helps!

[frogy]

I made a cool mini Trebuchet type thing, it flings rocks far...

I don't recommend springs, one time I was working on a garage door and the giant door spring came out and went through drywall, framing, and concrete walls.... I'm affraid of thoose things now